Love Polygon
by Crystallized Tears
Summary: AU She married him for comfort and familiarity. He was none the wiser. Now the one she tried to escape is back in her life, and secrets about her husband and herself may just come to light ...
1. Chapter 1

**Love Polygon**

_Out of this nettle, danger, we pluck this flower, safety  
~William Shakespeare _

She knew she was dreaming when his face appeared.

He hovered above her, strong, lean arms supporting his body, hands spread out on the silk sheets, either side of her chest. He grinned, so breathtakingly beautiful that her dream self giggled up at him. He arched one perfect eyebrow, dark eyes glittering with mischief.

His arms relaxed slightly, and his body lowered. Their skin met, chest-to-chest, no fabric barriers between them. He giggles died off and she inhaled sharply, her hands sliding up his skin slowly, finding every imperfection of his stomach and then his chest, until they rested on his shoulders. She squeezed gently, leaving half-moons from her nails.

He watched her, waiting for her to make the first move; and she did, raising her hips, wiggling them against his. He inhaled sharply, and buried his head into her shoulder.

Even in the dream – for she knew it was a dream for sure by now – she felt the memory of the pain, but it was quickly replaced by the desperate need building in the base of her stomach. He didn't really fill her, brush against her with every thrust, send her dizzy with delight. _He wasn't there_.

She woke, sweating, before the dream was done, so desperate that it was almost as if she could feel the warmth in her bed from where he would have lain. But he wasn't there, and this would be one job to complete herself – and soon, before dawn broke and the day of her husband's return began.

Not for the first time, she was glad of her dislike for night clothes. Her hand found its way between her thighs easily, and the dream replayed in her mind until the desire came too much for her and she found the ecstasy the dream had begun giving her.

She lay back, exhausted again, and soon fell into sleep once more.

**::-::-::-::-::**

'Ugh.' Did the light _have_ to be so freaking bright? Stupid curtains that were so flimsy the light shone through _way_ too easily. Kagome Higurashi couldn't help but let out another moan when, even as she turned over, the light remained as bright as ever. That was the problem with sleeping in this room: two massive windows on either side of the bed meant that the light fell over the bed no matter what position a person was in.

_Normally_, she didn't mind that. Not when her husband was with her. But on her own? She sighed and flung the covers back, realising in an instant she wouldn't be able to sleep. Naked, she reached for the robe that was slung over the chair beside the bed, and smiled softly to herself when the slight weakness of her knees reminded her of last night's dream.

She slid the robe over her petite body, and made her way towards the open door to the hallway. This early, no one else would – should – be in the house. At least for another hour, when her husband was due to return from his two-day work trip.

She padded towards the main bedroom, which had become too warm in the summer heat last night for her. Once inside, she made her way over to the large wardrobe and changed quickly, deciding to shower later – a little "reward" for her husband's return, she thought sadistically as she pulled a summer dress over her head and clipped her hair up in a bun.

She ate a breakfast of toast and butter quickly, and then settled herself down on the settee in their front room as she waited for her husband's return. She didn't have to wait long: as soon as she found a decent TV channel to watch, the door opened and the long-wearing sigh she was coming to know so well came through the living room door.

'Kagome? You downstairs?'

She stood fluidly and crossed to the door, leaning against the frame as she watched her tall husband shrug out of his coat. Framed by the light coming from the open front door behind him, Miroku's face was temporarily cast into shadow, but even so, she could see the tired frown he wore.

'You okay?' she asked softly; his head turned towards her wearily as he hung up his coat and shut the door behind him. 'You always seem tired after these meetings, but never quite _this_ tired.' She took a step forward to place her head on his chin. It was rough with stubble.

'Some people were being idiotic.' His voice was low and tired. 'I need to take a shower – get rid of this travel grime and stuff. Join me?' His voice was hopeful, and she had to suppress a grin at his suggestion – exactly the same one she'd thought of earlier.

She nodded, leaning into his arm when he held it out. She wrapped hers around his waist, squeezing lightly in welcome, all thoughts focused on him and not the man who visited her dreams so often.

A little over half an hour later, they climbed out of the shower, both happy and sated and clean. Or, in Miroku's case, happ_ier_, sated and clean. Kagome wouldn't class him as "happy" just yet. She sighed as she handed him a towel to dry off with, and then cuddled into his side once more when it was wrapped around his waist. 'I don't like it when you go to a work meeting for days. You always come back like this.'

He kissed her damp scalp. 'It's just a side-effect of being away without distraction for so long. If you came with me …' He let the lecherous suggestion hang in the air, and she slapped his hand and pulled away with a scowl. 'But I know you'd never join me for a holiday where you'd only see me after seven in the evening.' He sighed.

'But we _do_ need a holiday soon. We haven't had one since our honeymoon two years ago.' She rolled her shoulders as she reached for another towel to wrap around her hair. 'Even that was cut short.' She frowned into the fogged up mirror. 'It would be nice to have a holiday. Somewhere quiet with just the two of us.'

'Keep dreaming.' He tugged a section of her hair affectionately before she had a chance to wrap it up. 'Our schedules barely allow us a day a month alone. I highly doubt we'll be able to get a holiday with just the two of us.' He shrugged, running his hand over the mirror to clean it for them both as he came up behind her.

'Then maybe you should ask your boss if he can lend us his holiday get-away for a week during the school holidays. He might – you seem to be good friends with him, after all.' She secured the towel around her hair and then ducked under his arm, heading for the cabinet.

'Not with my boss, but with his brother, yeah. The boss is … uptight, to say the least. Only his wife can get through to him.' He snorted a quick laugh. 'I'll ask when I next talk to him. Not tonight – tonight I'm spending with you.' He threw a perverted grin in her direction, and was rewarded with a raised eyebrow as Kagome left the room.

When he entered their bedroom, she was pinning up her still-damp hair artistically, dressed in a flowing skirt and a bra (that had very little to do its job). She gave him no look as he sat down on the other side of the bed, reaching into the drawers and pulling out clothes.

'You've got to work this afternoon, haven't you?' he asked with a sigh. She nodded, mouth full of pins. 'Will you finish normal time?' Again, she nodded. 'I'll pick you up then. Make sure you call me if you're going to be late out.'

She finished her hair and turned to him, crawling over the bed and wrapping her arms around his chest. 'You know I will.' She kissed his neck softly, guilt once again creeping over her as she thought of her dream. 'Make sure you don't fall asleep and forget to pick me up, then,' she teased, and Miroku's head turned to her. 'Otherwise you'll be in a bit of bother tonight.' She pressed a quick kiss to his lips and then pulled back, sliding her shirt on and removing his view of her cleavage.

Once she had expertly applied the last of her makeup, she moved to the door. 'I'm guessing you didn't eat on the way back, and it's almost lunchtime, so I'll be nice to you – this _once_ – and make you something. What do you fancy?'

He raised one eyebrow as he did up his belt. 'I think I'll make lunch. I don't trust you after the last batch of cakes you made with salt instead of sugar.'

She pulled a face at his reminder. 'That's because _you_ left the salt out when I was looking for the sugar!'

'I was making French fries! What do you expect?'

She bit her tongue, and paused by the door. He caught up with her in an instant, and softened his words with a kiss to her forehead. 'Kagome,' he murmured, voice loving, 'you know I'd never scold you.' He smiled down at her as she looked up at him with watery eyes. 'I love you, remember that.'

She nodded as he embraced her softly, never once imagining the trials about to begin.

**::-::-::-::-::**

Okay. So this was more of a trial chapter. It does follow what I have in my mind for the start but is an awful lot shorter :/  
I haven't really written anything since before the exams, so the first few chapters are gonna be slightly rusty as I try to get back into my writing methods. I apologise for that now: these exams have stressed me out to the point of severe writers block, where even a sentence was so bad it had to be rewritten fifty sounds to make it sound like something acceptable - but that's real bad for me.

Anyway. The title of this story does have a meaning. I worked it out before I started exactly how this would work - and I was confused for an hour or two before I finally caught onto it. Hence the name "polygon" ;) But that'll become clearer later in the story. I expect this to be a maximum of fifteen chapters, but knowing my tendency to over-complicate things by introducing new aspects, it may well go over that.

Enjoy my first non-CCS (and little angst) fic :D

Tears x


	2. Chapter 2

**Love Polygon**

_Dreams are nature's answering service - don't forget to pick up your messages once in a while_  
_~Sarah Crestinn_

There was a ring on her hand. A wedding ring. Why was there a wedding ring on her hand – and why was it on her _right_ hand and not her left? That was also quite odd, Kagome thought as she raised her hand into the soft light from the moon. Perhaps it wasn't a wedding ring at all?

She frowned. If she _did_ have a wedding ring, even on the wrong finger … where was her husband? Marriage always equated to a husband. She kicked back the covers, exposing the OTT nightclothes she was wearing. The other side of the bed had quite obviously not been slept in. There were no masculine clothes anywhere visible; so where was the husband that had, quite obviously, only become so recently?

She crept to the door. It was semi-open, letting just a glimmer of light through. She carefully pulled it the rest of the way, but there was still no one there. No sound in the house, no sign anyone but herself had ever been in it.

She sighed, shaking her head. She was tired. Obviously, she was so tired she was hallucinating. She looked down at her hand to check – ring-less, now. A hallucination. Quite clearly a hallucination. She was certain.

Slightly spooked, she crawled back into bed, pulling the covers up over her to keep warmth to her body.

Unseen, the ring rolled from where it had fallen from her finger, disappearing underneath the bed.

It was the phone ringing that woke Kagome up at eight o'clock that morning. Beside her, the bed rippled slightly, and then warm masculine fingers managed to retrieve her hand from beneath her head and place the ringing mobile into it. 'You _will_ answer this time. I'm not having Rin or Sango shout at me because of your laziness again,' Miroku laughed. 'Wake up.'

She grumbled something at him, but obediently opened her eyes and brought the phone around to her face. She flipped it open, pressed the answer button and held it to her ear. 'This better be good,' she yawned, which made the woman on the other end laugh slightly.

'Good morning to you too, Kagome. What did I do this time? Wake you up from dreaming of an intimate meeting with your husband?'

'Something like that.' Anything to get her off the line faster. 'What's up, anyway? You never call me at … _seven am?_ God, are you _crazy_ or something, Sango?'

'Check your clock, genius. It's _eight_. Not seven.' She could hear the frustration in Sango's voice. 'Listen. I was calling about today. I can't make it – I have a doctor's appointment over lunch, so … I'll make it up to you soon. Okay? Can you let Rin know? I'm running out of time right now – my phone's dead so I have to use my mobile, which is nearly out of juice and I can't find my charger. Okay?'

Kagome murmured something that might have passed as agreement, and then the call ended. Miroku gently took the phone back out of Kagome's hand and placed it on the bedside cabinet. 'You probably should wake up, you know. Saturday or not, it is late for you to sleep in.' He stroked the hair off her cheek gently. 'Go to bed early tonight. But wake up now.'

She turned over, snuggling back into the pillow once she was facing him. 'It's still early for a Saturday,' she protested softly. He laughed; she watched as the sunlight danced across his bare chest as it moved with his laughter, and found it enticing. Her mind, still fogged with sleep, wanted to just lie there and admire the sight forever. But then _his _face slid into her mind, _his_ body. She sat up, clutching the covers to her own exposed chest. Her eyes took a moment to catch up and the room took that same moment to stop swirling. 'It's Saturday. Damn. I'm supposed to meet Rin soon and I still have the blumming two hour drive!'

Miroku raised one eyebrow. 'Seriously. Why you'd ever want to drive somewhere _two hours away_ is beyond me. Even to meet friends.'

She shook her head, watching the tangled locks of her hair fall in front of her face. 'Well, Rin can't exactly drive _here_, can she? She's eight months pregnant. No sane person is going to let her drive anywhere and you know damn well her husband works six days a week right now – including Saturdays.' She sighed, and he pulled himself up to wrap one arm around her waist.

His lips moved to her neck and traced devious patterns, distracting her, tempting her. 'How long do you think it'll be before _we_ can say you're eight months pregnant?' he whispered. Her soft moans stopped as she sucked in a breath. His lips didn't still, so she found herself pushing him away.

'_What_? Miroku, you _know_ where I stand on the whole children thing! No kids for at least five years of marriage!' Okay, so she knew that was a lie – there was another reason – but it had stopped Miroku when they first got engaged from trying to force the issue.

He sighed and dropped his head, dejected. 'I know. It's just everyone seems to be having kids right now … Rin's having a kid, my boss is becoming a father soon, my best friend's thinking about having one … I feel like we're the only ones left who aren't trying.' He reached over and took her left hand. Raising it to his lips, he kissed her wedding and engagement rings. 'But I'll wait, if that's what you want, Kagome.'

She closed her eyes momentarily, and then pulled her hand free of his grip. Semi-reluctantly, she turned to slide out of bed. Ignoring the fact she was completely naked (which obviously drew Miroku's attention – she tried not to laugh as she saw his eyes travel hungrily down the back of her body in the mirror) she crossed to the door and opened it to head to the bathroom for a nice, cool shower.

Sometimes being married to a pervert was infectious.

**::-::-::-::-::-**

'Sango sends her apologies, but she has a doctor's appointment.' Kagome dropped herself onto the settee in Rin's personal room at the house she shared with her husband, kicking off her heels with a breath of relief. 'She would have called you but apparently her house phone is dead and her mobile lacking charge and no charger around to use on it.'

Rin, He rea girl who was usually petite but wasn't now due to the swell of her stomach, rolled her dark eyes. 'That woman. Honestly! She's so difficult to handle sometimes.' But she laughed anyway, settling herself down opposite Kagome. 'Still. You're sure it's a doctor's appointment?'

'That's what she said.' Kagome yawned, relaxing into the soft cushions. 'Why? You think she lied?'

'Maybe.' Rin shrugged. 'I know that she has a guy in her life right now – or did have – so I don't know whether she's actually going to the doctor's or meeting him.' She absently rubbed at a spot on her stomach. 'I just want to know why the secrecy with this guy.'

'Who said she's seeing a guy?' This was all too familiar: they often had these sorts of talks whenever one of them or one of their friends started acting peculiar. It had happened between Sango and Kagome when Rin had started dating her now-husband; it had happened between Sango and Rin when Kagome had first begun seeing Miroku.

Rin cocked her head. 'Let's see. She's acting all secretive. She's barely at home. She's suddenly going on many work trips. She tells you she has a doctor's appointment but not what for. Typical I-have-a-secret-guy behaviour. You know as well as I do.'

'No, I don't. Because I'm not in the mood to gossip.' Her eyes drifted shut. 'I didn't get enough sleep last night.'

'Miroku keep you up again?'

Kagome laughed. 'You know him too well. He did. We sort of went to sleep about two this morning and then Sango woke me up with a phone call at eight. Then he joined me in the shower that was _supposed_ to help me calm down. So yeah. I'm exhausted because of him.' _Bastard_.

Her friend raised one eyebrow and leant forward. 'He still doesn't know, does he, Kagome?'

'I don't know what you're talking about.' The lie came amazingly easily. 'Miroku and I have a perfect relationship right now. We love each other, our sex life is very active, we have a lot to do together when we're not in bed …'

'But you're not _in love_ with him.'

Kagome's eyes opened again. 'Who says I'm not? Even if I wasn't when I married him it doesn't mean I'm not now. Two years is long enough for a person to fall in love.'

'Kagome.'

'Okay, _fine_! He _doesn't_ know – and he never will, because I am _not_ going to ruin a perfectly good marriage over something from the past!' She stood abruptly, angry now. 'What that bastard did to me is something worth forgetting. I married Miroku because I love him. He's my best friend and the man who I know I was destined to spend my life with.' _For now_, was the unspoken addition to her words. 'I'm not hiding from my past, Rin. I never would.'

Rin's eyes were sad. 'Kagome … I know you've not told me everything about your past, but this thing – if you only married Miroku because of it I need to know and he needs to know. If not … if not, can't you tell me what it is?'

'No, I can't, because it's the past and I won't dwell on it.' She gripped the windowsill tightly; her knuckles turned white with effort. 'My future is with Miroku, and I'll do all I can to keep it that way. Now can we get off this topic? _Please_?'

**::-::-::-::-::**

_Pregnant._

Delicate fingers scrolled down the phonebook, finding a listing that she had once known off by heart. Not anymore. She had severed ties with him three years ago for a very good reason. But now she found herself having to turn back to him for help.

She tapped the numbers into the public phone and listening to the ringing for several long, tense moments. And then the voice she thought she'd never have to hear again answered with a breathless, 'Hello?'

'I know we haven't talked in years and I haven't forgiven you, but I need your help and I need it fast.'

**::-::-::-::-::**

_So this is out earlier than I expected. Okay. I can live with that._

_This didn't take me that long to write, surprisingly. The start of it, as you can probably guess, is a dream. Riddled with meanings. I'm big on the whole everything-has-a-hidden-meaning thing, so ... go figure._

_Next chapter shouldn't take too long to sort out, so a month or so? Maybe less?_

_Tears x_


	3. Chapter 3

**Love Polygon**

_A vacation is like love - anticipated with pleasure, experienced with discomfort, and remembered with nostalgia. _

_~Author Unknown_

The villa hadn't changed any, Sango mused as she came to a stop outside the door. It still proudly hosted a fountain on the green in front of the door, spitting out water that trickled back down through the lily pads slowly. Why he'd want to keep it, she had no idea. After all, it had been Kagome's desire that had made him buy and install it in the first place.

Three years on and he still kept it. That was something worth noting, and then keeping to herself. She couldn't tell Kagome – that would just break her heart, make her feel worse than she had done before.

The door opened, revealing a glimpse of pale green walls and a deep brown carpet. _'To make it feel like I'm outside,'_ she remembered, hearing his voice as clearly it was as if she had never stopped talking to him. How could three years not have made this place any different in any way, shape or form?

'Well, well. Look who's come crawling back.'

The mocking voice was still the same. With a glare, she stepped out of the car, watching as dyed silver hair reflected the sunlight. 'Didn't think I'd ever see any of you again after that night. I seem to recall you in particular, Sango, shouting curses at me and telling me to go crawl back to Hell …'

She stood there awkwardly, dark hair fanning around her waist. 'I won't forgive you. Not until Kagome does. But right now, InuYasha, you're the only one who can actually help me.'

**::-::-::-::-::**

'Hey, you.'

Kagome grinned, winding her arms around Miroku's neck as he stepped forward from the car to greet her. 'I didn't expect you to come meet me from work today. What about your boss?'

His hands joined on her back, pulling her close as he stole a quick, teasing kiss. 'Gave me the afternoon off. And, he's said, as of next week I'm on a month-long vacation. Since he personally oversees my work and he's taking a month off to be with his wife before the birth, I get to take that time off to spend with my beautiful wife too.'

'What're all those stories you're telling me about the fact your boss is an absolute bastard?'

'Fatherhood is obviously making him feel nicer.' He winked, and raised one hand to stroke a single curl that had fallen loose from Kagome's updo back. 'Hey, I'm not going to argue with time off.'

She kissed his cheek, and then pulled away from him. 'Neither am I. And with the summer holidays beginning next week, think we can finally take that break we've been wanting?'

He looked at her, watching as she made her way around the car, skirt flowing around slim legs in the gentle summer breeze. Desire sluggishly awoke in him. 'Of course. Where would you like to go? We can go to Paris, London …'

She raised an eyebrow at him across the roof of the car. 'Maybe we can have a two-fold holiday … I fancy a trip to that little cottage we have in the country, just us two. But then, maybe a trip with Sango and whomever she may or may not be dating elsewhere at some point.'

Miroku froze for a moment, and then met his wife's gaze. She was smiling warmly now, and never had he seen her more beautiful than when she was happy, mentally debating about trips and places. 'That,' he managed to say eventually, 'sounds like an absolutely _brilliant_ idea.'

And so it was, that, a week later they found themselves in the cottage that had once belonged to Kagome's father, and had passed to her when she turned eighteen. It had been their getaway, the place they had come on their first ever holiday together, the place he had proposed, and the place they had stayed for their honeymoon. One hundred and seven miles exactly outside of the city they both had learnt to call home, they were so isolated it was highly unlikely that their rest could be disturbed by anybody they knew.

Of course, there were the locals, as it sat on the outskirts of a small village, population two hundred and seven permanent residents. They were, by now, recognised by most of the inhabitants and had grown fond of them, even to the point that the eldest villager, an old woman named Kaede, had come to be a mother-like figure to both of them.

The first day after arriving, they spent in bed; the night was long, until eventually they grew tired and slept as the first rays of sunlight came over the horizon. The second day found them in the village, socialising happily with the villagers. The third, they spent in the forest by the lake, sometimes swimming, sometimes loving. By the fourth day, the novelty of the holiday was beginning to wear off, and they found themselves sat inside the cottage, Kagome leaning against her husband as they stared at the television screen blankly. Boring news played out, but it was that or nothing; this far away from cities, there was only the news channel or the radio.

It was a result of this lack of communication that when Kagome's mobile phone rang, it made them both jump from their bored dozing. With a lazy hand, Miroku passed it over to her, and she answered it, curling back into him.

'Kagome?'

'Hey, Sango.' She yawned, eyes falling shut. 'What's up?'

'I need to talk to you.' Though the connection was a little sketchy, and the signal kept threatening to break up, Kagome could make out her words, in a soft, upset tone. 'It's about … well. A lot of things. When do you get back off holiday?'

'One and a half weeks.'

There was a muttered curse, and a masculine voice shouted something in the background, so indistinct that Kagome couldn't make out whether it was familiar or not. 'You're at your dad's cottage, aren't you? This is important, Kag.' There was a hesitation, in which the woman could imagine her friend chewing on her bottom lip in indecision, and then a sigh. 'I'll be there in two days, okay? I really need to talk to you.'

**::-::-::-::-::**

The night was torturous to InuYasha.

It had been three long years since anyone had stayed in the villa with him, three years in which every day was torturous to him, teasing him with loneliness. He often found refuge staying at his brother's house, or else he would search for a woman to warm his bed for a period of time, using an apartment brought solely for that reason a little over two years ago.

But tonight, the first night that the villa was occupied by more than one person, was maddening.

Of all people to come asking him for help, it was Sango, the best friend to the only woman he had ever truly loved. He knew that what had happened – or, more correctly, he reminded himself, what they _thought_ had happened – was wrong, and that it had broken down the relationships between the three, but it didn't stop him regretting it, wishing that his arms could be wrapped tight around her again, feel her warm body close to his in this big, empty bed that he lay in.

He couldn't sleep. Knowing Sango was a few doors down, in the room that she had claimed as hers whenever she came to visit her best friend's boyfriend (because, being as stubborn as he was, he hadn't asked anyone to move in with him even though they spent most nights together), probably perusing through old things she had left in their hasty departure, made sleep impossible.

What made it worse, was_ finally_ knowing what had happened since, discovering she had married, begun a happy life without him. And then, to discover a secret that she didn't even know!

He groaned, and turned on his side, but it was in vain; on the side he now faced, he'd placed a picture, the only one of the two of them that had been left after she had tossed the photo album into the fire the night she left. Certain parts of it were singed, such as one of his eyes which was missing, and their hands, which he knew had been joined in front of them. But she was in the picture, smiling out at the camera with such happiness in her eyes that it seemed unfathomable that once upon a time, he, like his brother, had been happy.

And tomorrow, he would see her again.

For the first time in three years, he would see the woman who'd broken his heart … in return for breaking hers.

_To anyone actually still reading this - I don't think you'll understand just how sorry I am that this has taken as long as it has to get out to you. Things have been hectic. Since I last updated this (wow - a year and a half? Really?) I have begun my A Levels and sat my AS exams, the first stage. Now I'm in the middle of the second stage, the A2s, and my exams begin in two weeks, and then there's a small lull and they begin again around May.  
But! I have my writing mojo back, properly, and I am determined to finish this story for you! It may have taken me a year and a half to get around to writing, let alone publishing, chapter three - but you can guarantee when I'm not revising right now I will be working on the rest of the chapters.  
So please, forgive me, my lovelies.  
_

_Tears x _


End file.
